Hikari Royal Palace.
"I've never met a curse that is capable of repelling my purification magic..." Hikari would approach and take a closer look at the curse "It's the same magical energy, only amplified... Who could have cursed it? Maybe Akihiro did it, long before he released Tochi... a new problem."
-Tochi, have you been close to any other magician? -Hikari asked.
-Only this Hinotama....
-Did your partner use some kind of magic?
-No, he was just incredibly fast and strong. Or so I think," he said to himself.
"Strong and fast, I still can't figure out root, the only thing I can think of, is that Hinotama has created a new curse that is able to repel my magic, even so, I shouldn't rule out the other guy... just wait" Hikari would leave.
-I really don't use any kind of Tochi magic? -Hana asked.
-No... that guy gives me a very bad feeling. After I knocked Hinotama out, he appeared out of nowhere, I tried to attack him, but... he was incredibly fast...
"That movement... it wasn't for speed... it's like... he teleported..." He would remember that movement of red-haired
-It is certainly unheard of for a person to possess so much strength without using some kind of magic. It is very strange. -said Hana.
-I've never seen him so terrified," said Mizuki.
-How could he not be? Without using magic he was incredibly fast and strong," said Tochi as he grabbed his head.
-A human can't be that strong, unless he boosts his attack with magic.
"If only there was a way to help... Why do I have to be so weak? I could stand up to it, but... I'd have to be near the sea... using my water magic without a source nearby drains my magical energy too easily."
-W-well, in my lands there are very powerful people who had no need to use magic, one of them is Hercules.
-At least I was able to defeat that Hinotama guy, after all, he was very weak.
-I was very surprised when you said that, Hinotama was the strongest guardian angel when working for Hikari," said Hana.
-I owe a lot to Hikari... since she saved me from Ruverlia my life has been totally different. That's why I swore to protect her at all times...
"Yes... since I was born... I had always shown an incredible magical potential... my father died protecting my village from the attack of the orcs, just... when my mother was giving birth to me... at the age of four I began to show an incredible control of earth magic, being able to lift a pile of rubble as if it were a leaf.... when I was 5 years old I would get sick, they looked for thousands of treatments, but none of them could cure me, my mother's worry was extreme, just remembering my father's death would destroy her, if I died... my mother would have taken her own life... until... out of nowhere... a seal would be drawn on my back, it would release a magical sling so powerful that it managed to break all the crystals in my village. Which would leave all the inhabitants bewildered."
-What was that? -wondered a villager somewhere.
-Tochi, are you all right? -His mother asked him, while he was complaining about the pain of the fall from his bed, which was also destroyed.
-Yes, mother, I'm fine. -said little Tochi.
-What a relief! -said the mother as she hugged him.
"Apparently that strange illness was due to the fact that my body was adapting to my elemental being... after what happened, many of the villagers went to ask for an explanation..."
-We don't care, that strange energy came from here! -said an angry villager.
-That's right, someone has to answer for the damages!
"I had gotten my mother into big trouble, all thanks to the transformation of my being that originated that powerful energy."
-This... it was me... I'm really sorry," said the little Tochi ashamed.
-I knew that child would cause trouble in the future!
-Get him out of town!
-Please wait, we can solve this another way...! -Said Tochi, who would stumble and fall to the ground, showing the seal to everyone, who would be stunned to see it.
-Oh... my head... Huh? Why does everyone look at me that way?"
-Tochi -Are you okay?
-Yes, I am, Mother....
-Madam... your son has an elemental mark...
"unexpectedly... all the villagers would go from being angry, to being very surprised after seeing my elemental mark... after that, I would go to a priest... where he would examine my mark, while being watched by all the villagers, the priest would take out a book and start reading it... after a long reading, he would give the final decision"
-Impressive..." said the priest.
-What's wrong, father? -Tochi's mother asked.
-This child... is the real earth elemental! -I shout to the crowd.
"I had been totally shocked to hear that... overnight I started to be well liked by all the villagers... they are all hypocrites... from then on, I started to protect my village from all kinds of monsters and bandits... especially the bandits, their faces when they saw me was funny, seeing their faces of "A kid?" caused me so much laughter... a few years later, I started working as a lone adventurer in a city called Teikoku, well known for its excellent quality magicians, this would be very rewarding, but until one day... I was in my village, after having been away from it for almost a year... for some knights to arrive to my village..."
-Tochi Iwa! Where is he? -he shouted to all the villagers.
"What will they be looking for me for?"
-What do you need?
-We come on behalf of the King of Akihiro, he requests an audience with you.
-Why? Did he do something wrong?
-We have proof that your son is an elemental, he wants to talk to him personally," said the gentleman.
"I have a bad feeling, knowing a bit about the monarchy in that city, it could be some kind of trap...but, at the same time I see an opportunity."
-I'm here," said Tochi.
"After a few days, I decided to go to the audience with the king... when I was already there, he offered a job in the royal knights, however, I could not return to my village... so refused... this would not please the king at all... which... he locked me up for no reason..."
-Why are you doing this to me? -Tochi asked angrily after being thrown into a cell.
-You are a very powerful magical warrior, I will not let you work for another kingdom, call me when you change your mind," said the king arrogantly.
-Damn it!
"I tried to escape, but it was a magic cell of the best quality... it was useless... I could do absolutely nothing... I thought it was all over... I spent more than 5 years locked up in that miserable dungeon... I tried, again... and again... and again... but, I didn't succeed... until one day, she would appear... a woman with a bun and a lock of hair covering her left eye, and eyes the color of an emerald, Hana... who was infiltrating the dungeon area, while her queen, Hikari... was in a meeting with the king, as a distraction..."
"We have received many letters about innocent people locked up here, I wouldn't be surprised anything from Akihiro, that heartless king" Hana would walk past Tochi's cell, she after feeling a strange energy "Does he emit magical energy even though he is in a special one? How strange!"
-Hey. Hey," he said quietly.
-I haven't changed my mind! -exclaimed Tochi immediately.
-Shhh, keep your voice down.
-I understand, the king is trying to bribe me, I am sorry, I have not changed my mind.
-Relax, I'm not here for that... You see I'm from Bashira, we received multiple reports of people improperly locked up here..." He said as he rested with one knee on the ground.
"So you've reported people here, I'm not surprised, all these years I've seen people being forcibly locked up..."
-That's right! I've been locked up for over 5 years, and all they've done is try to convince me to work with royalty.
"This would be quick, the help I needed, was in front of me, but... he had to leave quickly, as my dungeon guards were approaching."
-I have to go... I'll come back for you," said the woman, then transformed into a rabbit and left.
"What did I just see, did he turn into a rabbit? This is unreal."
-Hey you! Who were you talking to? -asked an angry guard.
-I was talking to him," he said nervously. "Are you also planning to prohibit me from talking to other prisoners?
-You better not be fooling us!
"A few hours later... I would find myself already resting a little, thinking about what had happened before, until... I heard a loud noise, and saw the guards protecting my cell, tied with vines, which would render them unconscious... then a bat would appear, to become my only salvation... Hana..."
-It's you," said Tochi.
-You are silent. Hikari, it's him," he said in a friendly tone.
"After that, I would hear footsteps ... and that's when she appeared... a woman with yellow hair and amber eyes... Hikari Hinode... the queen of another nation, she came to save me..."
-Is it him? -Hikari asked.
-Yes.
-What is your name?
-Tochi... -Tochi Iwa...
-Tochi... -I would magically make a leaf appear and start looking at it -your mother is Haru, right?
-Yes!
"At that moment, I was totally relieved... they had come to rescue me... seeing the other woman transform into a rabbit was very strange, what Hikari did at that moment, would leave me amazed, she would create a key of light, which she would use to open the cell..."
-Hana, watch out that no one comes, if they find out what I'm doing, it could cause a war.
"I would see with my own eyes, the primal magic... according to the few books I had read about elementals, the primal magic of light could only be used by its elemental king, due to the magical instability of it... it was incredible, a primal saved me..."
-Come on, let's get out of here! -said Hikari to Tochi after opening the cell.
"After so long...I was free."
Tochi at the moment of leaving the cell... would emit a great magical vigor, which would draw everyone's attention in an instant.
-What do you think you're doing, you idiot! -said Hikari.
-I forgot about it! -said Tochi worried.
-It doesn't matter, let's go!
-Wait, I have to free everyone.
-Hey you," said an accompanying guard, "You will not escape! -As he ran up to him.
-Damn, this is bad," said Hikari as she prepared a light dagger, but it would be stopped by Tochi.
-I'll take care of it.
Tochi with a single movement of his arm, he would move a large piece of the wall and crush the approaching guards, this would leave Hikari and Hana surprised... then, he would stomp very hard on the floor, this made the walls of the cell fragment and fall to dust.
-All of you! You are free! -shouted Tochi.
"and Finally... I was released" After fleeing the three of them, they were outside the palace... Tochi would see the stars with delirium and joy....
-My mother... I have to see my mother right now! -Tochi said before running off.
-Hey wait! -said Hikari.
The next day, Tochi, Hana and Hikari were arriving in the village... Tochi would quickly head home, where after 5 years... he would see his mother hanging his clothes in the garden...
-Tochi..." said the mother with tears in her eyes.
-Mother..." -Tochi would quickly go to embrace his mother in tears....
-You have changed a lot.
-Forgive me for leaving...
-Don't talk, I know very well what happened... Miss Hinode, I really thank you very much.
-No problem." A few hours later, Hikari and Hana were already preparing to return to the city.
-Hey, I must thank you a lot for saving me, if it wasn't for you, I would still be locked up, thank you very much! -said Tochi while bowing.
-I already said there was no problem. I will always help those who need it... Listen, I would like to propose something to you... if you don't want to accept, I won't force you to do it.
"A proposal? I don't trust people much anymore, I have to start analyzing things before I give in to something."
-I know you are an elemental, your incredible magical energy compares to Hana's... gosh, I'll get straight to the point... -Hikari would approach Tochi -I'm gathering the nine elementals and I would like you to come with us... but after what you went through, I doubt you believe me....
"Could she know I'm an elemental just with my energy? Does she want to form a group where only the nine elementals are there? I could believe her, remembering that she used light magic, and her friend could control plants and transform into animals?"
-I am not like Akihiro, if you want to come, I will allow you to come whenever you want to your village, I will not force you to stay in the palace.
"After thinking about it... I decided, give her a chance, that face full of gentleness couldn't fool me, so I went to tell my mother... at first my mother refused, but Hikari would somehow convince her..."
-Son... Take care..." said the mother before Tochi left.
-I will, mother, I will.....
"That's how I ended up being an ally of Hikari... I distrusted a lot, but she, was always helping me and taking care of me at all times... she hasn't tried to betray me at any time, without a doubt, it's the best thing I could have done... until he showed up... I swear that when I pull myself together, I'll finish him off! Just wait for me, I'll come for you..."